Artist claims Rs 2.55 million against PTV
* Director programmes says Tanvir Afridi had received major share of his payment in advance and cheques of amount left are ready
By Asad Farooq
KARACHI: Tanvir Afridi, an artist and chief executive of an event company entitled ‘Tanvir Afridi Productions’, has claimed that the administration of the Pakistan Television (PTV) is refusing to pay him a due amount of Rs 2.55 million.
The artist told Daily Times that during April last year a controller of PTV Jamshed Fershori hired the services of his company for a programme of PTV entitled ‘Karvan-e-Mohabat’ whose 13 shows were scheduled to be held.
In this regard, four accords were reached between the company and the PTV, first one of worth Rs 1,300,000, second one Rs 775,000, third Rs 382,000 and fourth Rs 390,000. So in this way, the project was assigned to our company against Rs 2,847,000, he said.
Afridi said the central contract was for 13 episodes, Rs 100,000 for each episode, while the duration of the project was decided 30 days. The first programme in this regard was held on April 21, 2010.
He said that the programmes were completed in 39 days instead of 30. During the project, PTV had also asked him to arrange four sound systems and it was decided that the PTV would pay Rs 180,000 to the company. He further said that he also remained deprived of payment against his performances as a singer in each programme.
The artist told that at the conclusion of the programme, Fershori asked him to do another programme of the same type and duration for just Rs 880,000 only. According to him, he had no option but to do as directed because at that time he had to receive his payment. He said he sustained another loss in the form of fares of trucks, generators and stipend to the performers as the second programme was initiated after 16 days of the first one. When he told Fershori about the situation, he ensured him for compensation. But in the last they refused to pay us any compensation, he claimed.
“Since then, I am waiting for the clearance of my dues but nothing happened despite my several attempts to approach relevant authorities. I also wrote letters to PTV Director Programme Amjad Bukhari for the solution of my matter,” he said.
Afridi further said that the director programme asked the accounts section about his dues and the department issued a letter in response of his application. He disclosed that the letter stated that Afridi had been paid Rs 422,749 in advance against the project worth Rs 382,100. He raised the point that how could it be possible that one was paid Rs 422,749 in advance, if the total amount of project was Rs 382,100.
He said that now PTV had to pay him Rs 2,547,850. He further said that the claimed amount included dues against his performance as a singer, charge of four extra sound systems and payment of six extra days of the project. He further stated that he was going to file a case against those, who were responsible for this.
In this regard when contacted, Fershori told Daily Times that the behaviour of Aafridi was quite illogical and was a matter of deep regret for him as he takes Afridi like his own son. He said that being an employee of the PTV, he could not give the official viewpoint of the corporation, but to correct the record he wanted to tell in his personal capacity that he himself introduced Afridi in this sector. He said that according to his information Afridi had received the major share of his payment in advance and cheques of amount left, were ready at the accounts section of the Lahore station to deliver but Afridi was neglecting to receive due to some unknown reasons.
Replying to a question, he said that none had asked Afridi to sing in the events, but Afridi requested him to do so, as in Afridi’s opinion he would become a star singer through this opportunity. He further said that at that time he categorically declared before the Afridi that he was permitted to sing but he would not be paid even a single penny for singing songs.
He refused to own the second project, about which Afridi was claiming. He said that according to his information after the ‘Karvan-e-Mohabat’ project, Afridi had done a private project of Colonel (r) Mansoor Rasheed. He further said that the charges of sound systems were not settled, however, the claim of Afridi for Rs 180,000 against provision of speakers was quite unreasonable.
Director Programme Bukhari told Daily Times when contacted for the official version of PTV, that the amount being claimed by the artist was contrary to the agreement, signed between the PTV and him.
He said: “The PTV is a government organisation but not private, so it is impossible that it could usurp the right of one or refuse to pay one’s due amount. Every thing is done under a procedure. The PTV had paid the major part of Afridi’s due amount, while cheques of amount left, are available to receive at Lahore station.” He further said that if artists have some proofs or documents in favour of his claim then he should ask for his right through proper channel, instead of holding a press conference. To a question, he said that he did know if some person or organisation was behind the claim of Afridi.
Source: Daily Times
Date:5/2/2011
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